Baylor women sign transfer point guard for 3rd year in row

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2019, file photo, UCLA guard Jaden Owens is shown during an NCAA basketball game against Weber State in Los Angeles. Former UCLA point guard Jaden Owens is transferring to Baylor. She signed a national letter of intent Monday, April 20, 2020, to play for the Lady Bears in her home state. I(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)

Baylor has signed a transfer point guard for the third year in a row, and this one can play multiple seasons with the Lady Bears.

Jaden Owens is transferring from UCLA after signing a national letter of intent with Baylor, which had graduate transfers at point guard each of the past two seasons. The Texas native just completed her freshman season with the Bruins and has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

''I wanted somewhere that would be close to home,'' Owens said Monday. ''And also knowing the history at Baylor. It's a winning program, and when you go there, you have no other expectations but to win.''

Owens was a McDonald's All-American and a five-star recruit out of Plano West High School when she went to UCLA. The 5-foot-8 guard played 28 games for the 26-5 Bruins while backing up All-Pac 12 senior point guard Japreece Dean, averaging 2.5 points and 1.2 assists in less than 10 minutes a game.

Chloe Jackson transferred from LSU and was the Final Four MVP for Baylor's 2019 national championship. T'ea Cooper came from South Carolina and played for this season's Big 12 championship team that would have likely been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before it was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

''Just knowing how (coach Kim) Mulkey lets her point guards play and just the history behind them, they come in for their last year and can make an impact,'' Owens said. ''I just want to come in knowing that I have a few more years to go, and just wanting to make an impact from the jump, and in the long run.''

If the NCAA adopts a proposed change to allow Division I athletes to transfer once without sitting out a season, Owens could become eligible to play next season for the Lady Bears. If not, she would have to sit out next season and would have three seasons after that.

Baylor had recruited Owens when she was at Plano West, where she averaged 16.5 points, 4 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 3 steals per game as a senior.

''Being a young lady from Texas, we are quite aware of the talent she brings to our program,'' Mulkey said. ''Her experience is an added addition to our backcourt.''

---

More AP women's college hoops: https://apnews.com/Womenscollegebasketball